RESUMO
ISSUE ADDRESSED: Food literacy programs aim to improve an individual's knowledge and skills in the planning, management, selection, preparation and eating of healthy foods. Unhealthy dietary patterns across the life cycle are associated with an increased risk of chronic disease. Foodbank WA's Healthy Food for All® (HFFA) team has made addressing health inequity a priority, by enhancing food literacy skills of vulnerable people across the lifespan. METHODS: A case study approach was utilised to explore HFFA's suite of evidence-based food literacy programs: Food Sensations® (FS) for Parents (of 0-5 year olds), FS for Schools (kindergarten to Year 12), Fuel Your Future (adolescents 12-18 years), and FS for Adults (FSA) (18 years and over). These programs are contextualised to meet the needs of vulnerable groups at all life stages. RESULTS: In the last decade the HFFA team have delivered 5047 food literacy sessions to over 62 000 vulnerable Western Australians. Evaluation results demonstrate the FS programs are successful at improving vulnerable people's food literacy skills and dietary behaviours. For example, over 70% of participants make at least one positive food behaviour change after attending FSA. CONCLUSIONS: By targeting vulnerable people of all ages, HFFA's food literacy programs provide multiple opportunities for intervention, to enhance health behaviours, and therefore reduce risk of chronic disease. SO WHAT?: Food literacy programs are one effective strategy that is complementary in helping to address the health inequities in Australia. Government and broader community investment in food literacy initiatives is vital to improving the health outcomes of vulnerable populations.
Assuntos
Letramento em Saúde , Populações Vulneráveis , Adolescente , Animais , Austrália , Alimentos , Humanos , Estágios do Ciclo de VidaRESUMO
ISSUE ADDRESSED: Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, resulting in heightened risk of suboptimal dietary intake. Food insecure people appear to implement several coping strategies and dietary compromises to avoid hunger. Less explored in the literature is how these strategies impact consumption of food inside and outside of the home. METHODS: An online survey was completed by adults (n = 1292) residing in one of five Australian states. The questionnaire comprised of the six-item US Household Food Security Survey Module, 12 socio-demographic variables and 32 questions related to elements of food literacy. RESULTS: Food insecure respondents were more likely to frequent fast food vs (P = .002), takeaway (P < .001) and food courts (P < .001) than their food secure counterparts. Food secure respondents reported greater use of raw (P = .043) and fresh, pre-prepared produce (P = .002) when cooking, whereas food insecure respondents were more likely to prepare food using only frozen, pre-packaged products (P < .001). No significant differences were found between food security status and the enjoyment and social bonding derived from cooking. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecure respondents appeared to be accessing a poorer quality of food through greater consumption of takeaway and fast food. These dietary compromises are most likely related to perceived financial, time or cooking facility constraints and to a lesser extent food literacy skills. SO WHAT?: This study highlights some of the health and social inequities apparent within food insecure populations. Food insecure households should be supported to access healthy fresh food and in-home cooking practices. While a multi strategy approach is required, healthy food environment policy, particularly in disadvantaged areas, should be considered to guarantee that all Australians have dignified access to nutritious food.
Assuntos
Preferências Alimentares , Segurança Alimentar , Adulto , Austrália , Estudos Transversais , Abastecimento de Alimentos , Humanos , FomeRESUMO
ISSUE ADDRESSED: Currently, two food sufficiency questions are utilised as a proxy measure of national food security status in Australia. These questions do not capture all dimensions of food security and have been attributed to underreporting of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate food security using the short form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) within an Australian context; and explore the relationship between food security status and multiple socio-demographic variables. METHODS: Two online surveys were completed by 2334 Australian participants from November 2014 to February 2015. Surveys contained the short form of the HFSSM and twelve socio-demographic questions. Cross-tabulations chi-square tests and a multinomial logistic regression model were employed to analyse the survey data. RESULTS: Food security status of the respondents was classified accordingly: High or Marginal (64%, n = 1495), Low (20%, n = 460) or Very Low (16%, n = 379). Significant independent predictors of food security were age (P < 0.001), marital status (P = 0.005), household income (P < 0.001) and education (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest food insecurity is an important issue across Australia and that certain groups, regardless of income, are particularly vulnerable. SO WHAT?: Government policy and health promotion interventions that specifically target "at risk" groups may assist to more effectively address the problem. Additionally, the use of a multi-item measure is worth considering as a national indicator of food security in Australia.
Assuntos
Abastecimento de Alimentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Renda , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Austrália , Feminino , Humanos , Renda/estatística & dados numéricos , Internet , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inquéritos Nutricionais , Pobreza , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Food literacy is a multidimensional construct required to achieve diet quality. The Food Sensations® for Adults (FSA) program aims to improve the food literacy of low to middle-income adults living in Western Australia and is funded by the Western Australian Department of Health. The original published behavior checklist used to measure change in food literacy has been revised based on experience of the facilitators and the iterative development of the program. This research sought to assess the validity and reliability of the improved food literacy behavior checklist. A total of 1,359 participants completed the checklist over an 18-month period. Content, face, and construct validity were considered in the re-development of the checklist. An exploratory factor analysis of the checklist identified three factors: (1) Plan and Manage, (2) Selection, and (3) Preparation. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.883, 0.760, and 0.868 were found for each of the three factors respectively. These coefficients indicated good internal consistency and were higher than those found in the original checklist analysis. An external validation was undertaken with the original food literacy behavior checklist, and a strong positive relationship between the two tools was found. In addition to being used to evaluate FSA, this revised and extensively validated tool could provide guidance to others evaluating similar food literacy programs and contribute to international measurement research.
Assuntos
Lista de Checagem , Letramento em Saúde , Adulto , Austrália , Humanos , Psicometria , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Food Sensations for Adults, funded by the Western Australian Department of Health, is a four-week nutrition education program focused on food literacy, with demonstrated success amongst Western Australians. In the last two years, 25% of programs have been in regional and remote areas and therefore the aim of this research is to explore the impact of the program in regional areas. METHODS: Participants answered validated pre- and post-questionnaires to assess change in food literacy behaviours (2016-2018). RESULTS: Regional participants (n = 451) were more likely to live in low income areas, have lower education levels, and identify as Aboriginal, than metropolitan participants (n = 1398). Regional participants had statistically significantly higher food literacy behaviours in the plan and manage and preparation domains, and lower selection behaviours at baseline than metropolitan participants. Post program, regional participants showed matched improvements with metropolitan participants in the plan and manage, and preparation domains. Food selection behaviour results increased in both groups but were significantly higher in regional participants. CONCLUSIONS: The program demonstrates effective behaviour change in all participants; however, the increased disadvantage experienced by people residing outside of major cities highlights the need for additional government support in addressing regional specific barriers, such as higher food costs, to ensure participants gain maximum benefit from future food literacy programs.
Assuntos
Alimentos , Letramento em Saúde , Adulto , Austrália , Preferências Alimentares , Humanos , Sensação , Austrália OcidentalRESUMO
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has supported the recommendations set out in the 2019 Health Star Rating System Five Year Review Report. Specifically, the forum supported, in principle, Recommendation 9, to mandate the Health Star Rating if clear uptake targets were not achieved while the system is voluntary. Given that mandatory labelling is being considered, it is important to investigate how much consumers value the Health Star Rating in order to understand potential consumer uptake and inform industry. The aim of this study was to assess consumers' valuation of the Health Star Rating system by analysing their willingness to pay for a packaged food product with the Health Star Rating label, utilising a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation approach. The results indicate that almost two-thirds of Australian household grocery shoppers were willing to pay more for a product with the Health Star Rating, on average up to an additional 3.7% of the price of the product. However, public health nutrition benefits associated with consumers' willingness to pay more for products with the Health Star Rating is currently limited by the lack of guarantee of the systems' accuracy. Given consumer support, a well validated and comprehensive Health Star Rating labelling system can potentially improve health outcomes, cost effectiveness and reduce environmental impacts.
Assuntos
Comportamento do Consumidor , Dieta Saudável/economia , Rotulagem de Alimentos/normas , Política Nutricional , Valor Nutritivo , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Austrália , Feminino , Rotulagem de Alimentos/classificação , Rotulagem de Alimentos/economia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Política Nutricional/economia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Nutrition education programs aim to improve food literacy domains covering the planning and management, selection, preparation and cooking and eating of healthy food. Reviews indicate programs are effective but acknowledge challenges with evaluation of community focused delivery. Food Sensations® for Adults (FSA) is a free four-week nutrition and cooking program targeted at low-to-middle income Western Australians who would like to improve their food literacy. The aim of this research was assess how effective FSA is in changing food literacy and selected dietary behaviours. Statistical analysis identified a significant increase in postprogram scores for domains of planning and management, selection and preparation using factor scores (n = 1092). The proportion of the score increase in the postprogram scores compared to the preprogram scores was 10â»25%. There was also a significant increase in self-reported fruit and vegetable serve intake, equating to an average increase of » serve/day of fruit and ½ serve/day of vegetables. Of those classified as low food literacy, 61â»74% improved postprogram scores in the three domains. FSA is effective in improving food literacy and dietary behaviours and the results add to the evidence base as to how effective these programs can be and for whom they should be targeted for future success.
Assuntos
Dieta/normas , Comportamento Alimentar , Educação em Saúde/métodos , Letramento em Saúde/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Austrália , Comportamento de Escolha , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Food literacy programs aim to improve behaviours required to achieve a quality diet. The objectives of this study were to assess the demographic, food literacy related and dietary behaviour of participants enrolling in Food Sensations® for Adults, a free four-week food literacy program and identify the subgroup of participants who benefit most. Cross-sectional pre-program questionnaire data (n = 1626) from participants enrolling in the program was used to stratify into low, middle and high food-literacy tertiles. Factor scores from a reliability analysis of food literacy behaviours were then used to produce a composite score). Participants were 80.2% female, 56% aged 26 to 45 years and 73.3% from low to middle socio-economic areas. Demographic characteristics were not a significant predictor of the lowest composite food-literacy group. Those with the lowest composite food-literacy tertile score were more likely to have lower self-rated cooking skills, a negative attitude to the cost of healthy foods, lower intakes of fruits and vegetables and a higher frequency of consuming takeaway food and sugary drinks. Food literacy programs must focus on recruiting those who have low self-rated cooking skills, who consider healthy foods expensive and have poor dietary intakes and will most likely to benefit from such programs.
Assuntos
Dieta/psicologia , Comportamento Alimentar/psicologia , Preferências Alimentares/psicologia , Letramento em Saúde , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Poor food literacy behaviours may contribute to food insecurity in developed countries. The aim of this research was to describe the apparent prevalence of food insecurity in adults at enrolment in a food literacy program and to examine the relationship between food insecurity and a range of independent variables. Individuals attending the Food Sensations® for Adults program in Western Australia from May 2016 to April 2018 completed a pre-program questionnaire (n = 1433) indicating if they had run of money for food in the past month (food insecurity indicator), frequency of food literacy behaviours, selected dietary behaviours, and demographic characteristics. The level of food insecurity reported by participants (n = 1379) was 40.5%. Results from multiple logistic regression demonstrated that behaviours related to planning and management, shopping, preparation, and cooking were all statistically independently associated with food insecurity, in addition to soft/soda drink consumption, education, employment status, and being born in Australia. The results are salient as they indicate an association between food literacy and food insecurity. The implications are that food insecure participants may respond differently to food literacy programs. It may be necessary to screen people enrolling in programs, tailor program content, and include comprehensive measures in evaluation to determine effect on the impact of food literacy programs on different subgroups.
Assuntos
Abastecimento de Alimentos , Alfabetização , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Comportamento de Escolha , Comportamento Alimentar/psicologia , Feminino , Preferências Alimentares/psicologia , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Austrália Ocidental , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Dietary compromises related to food insecurity profoundly undermine health and constitute a serious public health issue, even in developed nations. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of food labelling and product attributes on the purchasing choices of food-insecure households in Australia. An online survey containing 19 food choice and 28 purchasing behaviours questions was completed by 1056 adults responsible for household grocery shopping. The short form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module was used as the food security indicator. Multinomial logistic regression modelling was employed to analyse the survey data. Respondents were classified as having either high-marginal (63.4%, n = 670), low (19.8%, n = 209) or very low (16.8%, n = 177) food security. Respondents with low or very low food security status were less likely to self-report understanding the information on the back of packaging (p < 0.001), find information on food labels useful (p = 0.002) or be influenced by product nutrition information (p = 0.002). Convenience (p < 0.001), organic (p = 0.027) and supermarket-branded products (p < 0.001) were more likely to be rated as important by food-insecure respondents when compared to their food-secure counterparts. When asked to rate "how healthy" their diet was, high-marginal FS respondents were twice as likely describe their diet as healthy than very low FS respondents (p = 0.001).
Assuntos
Comportamento do Consumidor , Dieta , Rotulagem de Alimentos , Preferências Alimentares , Abastecimento de Alimentos , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Adulto , Austrália , Comportamento de Escolha , Comércio , Compreensão , Características da Família , Fast Foods , Feminino , Alimentos Orgânicos , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Autorrelato , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Food insecurity is considered a "wicked" problem due to the highly complex and at times undefined casual factors. Although many stakeholders are working to address the problem, a possible divergence exists between their views on food insecurity and those of the people who are actually experiencing the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was a difference between the opinions of those "at risk" and stakeholders. A total of seven focus groups (two stakeholder groups n = 10, five "at-risk" groups n = 34) and three interviews (stakeholders n = 3) were conducted to ascertain perceptions. Thematic analysis generated 329 (209 "at-risk" and 120 stakeholder) coded statements related to food insecurity drivers. Respondents were in agreement for the majority of factors, and limited income was considered the primary driver of food insecurity. However, there were notable deviations in the perceived importance of certain drivers, particularly around the price of food and the lack of food literacy. Differences in the perception of causes of food insecurity may in part be attributed to the varied role each group plays in working towards the resolution of the problem, either at the household or system level.